The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham Hotspur news and links for Thursday, December 15

It’s a little past 6 am. I get ready for work and open the blinds. It is dark.

But I know the sun will soon come. And I know its rays will shine indirectly on Planty - my orchid.

Planty, your HIC’s orchid, has had a rough few months. Its flowers fell long ago, one of the stalks photosynthesised its last dioxide carbon.

But since then a new leaf has sprouted, and the second stalk has grown considerably.

What are those - buds?

Yes, buds!

A cluster of ombre red buds - I will call them Buddy - burst forth from the elongated stem of the orchid that I thought was a goner. But no, I stuck with Planty. Weekly waterings on Monday, 15 seconds of course. And plenty of indirect sunshine.

You are the sunshine Planty! You gorgeous thing!

I exit Union Station at 7:18 am. The sun’s rays creep beyond the horizon. The faintest signs of the day. The moon rests high on its perch. Don’t go away, you luscious moon.

Oh Planty, do please hang on.

It’s a mostly cloudy day. But I have faith. And in anticipation I wait. I wait for you Planty, I wait for you, Buddy, to show me your true self. Burst open! Unleash your beauty! Bring light, bring colour, bring vivacity into the granite-coloured Beltway!

Bring life! Bring it all! Bring on the buds, the blossoms, the blooms!

Oh you sweet, sweet colourful creature.

I look at you now. How queer you grow. Parallel to the ground are you? You adventurous, agronomic spirit!

Oh but I must wait to see your sweet colours. To see you in all your beauty. How I wait. How I long to see you.

You are the colour, you are the light, in this gray, sardonic, inhumorous metropolitan hustle and bustle. You are the life! You are the light! Shine on, Planty. Be free, Buddy!

Burst forth you beautiful buds!

Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom!

Fitzie’s track of the day: How Many More Times, by Led Zeppelin

And now for your links:

Alasdair Gold writes about how Matt Doc says the Spurs boys will rally around Harry Kane (We love you H)

Tottenham Hotspur Women thrashed by Everton (clickers beware!)

‘Widespread misconduct’ at more than half of NWSL footie clubs

Erik T Haag says a Man U sale would be good